Calling of Hearts
by Autobot Guardian
Summary: Now safe at the Colony on New Earth, Embo has a whole new challenge ahead of him... But will he actually be able to express his feelings? And how will he be able to do it, with the Colony celebrating the holidays and all? And what does his younger brother have to do with it? Part of the ATWOFT AU! Takes place a week after DGAP.
1. Reuniting Old Friends

_**Welcome back, everyone! We're starting the first chapter of this next story, which begins a week after "Didn't go as Planned…", and I'm so excited for this! Calling of Hearts, of course, is the title I've decided on, thanks to input from Obsidian Tear! Thanks a lot, my friend!**_

 _ **Anyway, I don't own Star Wars, only the plot and OCs.**_

* * *

Embo walked out of the clinic on the seventh day after being brought in. He still had a bit of a cough, and his voice was still hoarse when he spoke, but it wasn't nearly as severe as it had been at first.

"Embo! Over here!" a voice called, and he looked over to see Cad Bane waving at him from a speeder.

" **Cad; good to see you,** " the Kyuzo said hoarsely, going over to his friend. He got in the speeder, and the Duros drove out of the small parking lot. " **So, have I missed much?** "

"Not really," Cad said, grinning. "We've worked out a timeline for the military base project, and now we're talking about alliances and trade routes."

" **Sounds rather boring,** " Embo said wryly, grinning behind his mask. " **Though more fun than lying in bed and coughing up my lungs.** "

"Ouch," Cad said, wincing, "score one for the Kyuzo in the 'who had the worst week' competition."

Embo laughed for the first time in over two months, though it was hoarse. It felt good, finally feeling like he could relax and have a good time.

During the time he was sick, he kept waking up thinking that he was still leading the group through the snow-covered mountains, only to remember that he was at the Colony moments later, when the coughing started. That had only stopped that morning.

Soon, they arrived in the residential part of town, where most of the Hunters lived in houses. Suddenly, upon seeing the colorful lights decorating the houses, Embo realized that he had lost track of what day it was!

" **Cad, what's the date?** "

"December 16th," the Duros replied, turning into the driveway of his two-story house.

He and Embo were neighbors; Cad's house was white with pale blue frames around the doors and windows, and light gray shingling on the roof; while Embo's house (two stories high, plus an attic and basement) was a warm brown color, with dark green frames and roof shingling. Both of them had rather sizeable yards around their homes.

" **Are the Younglings coming for the holidays?** " the Kyuzo asked, getting out of the speeder. His friend got out as well, pocketing his keys.

"Yep. The Boss convinced the Jedi to let them come back for a couple of weeks; they're due to arrive sometime tomorrow." Embo smiled, headed across the lawn to his own house, Cad following him. Just as he got to the door, however, he realized that he didn't have his house key on him.

" **Hey,** " he said, turning to the Duros, " **do you still have my spare key?** "

"Got it right here," Cad replied, pulling the requested item out of his pocket and handing it to the Kyuzo.

" **Thanks.** " Embo unlocked his door, opened it, and went inside.

The house was dark, but a flick of a switch solved that, wall lamps lighting up with a warm glow. The floor had short, dark green carpeting, the walls painted a dark, warm brown, which faded to a dark rainforest greed halfway up and continued on the ceiling.

And there were boxes in the hallway.

"I let the others in a few days ago, when they came to drop off your stuff from the ship," Cad explained, seeing the confused look on his friend's face. "There's a box of the 'get well soon' presents you were too sick to open in there somewhere, too."

" **Thanks, Cad,** " Embo said gratefully, turning to his best friend.

It had been too long.

* * *

 _ **And there we go, everyone! Now, to clear up any confusion as to why I'm using dates from Earth, my OC Tanoka, who founded the Colony, is a fanatic for stuff from what she calls 'Ancient Earth' (aka our current irl planet), and thus has set up an Earth calendar for her Colony so that she could let them experience all of the holidays that Earth has to offer! Now, I can only do so many, since I'm not really accustomed to many holidays outside of those celebrated by Christians, so please, forgive me for that! In future fics, I will try to figure out a way to incorporate holidays from other religions into them, but I don't know how well I'll do! If anyone can help me with them, please, send me a message and help!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	2. They're Home!

_**Welcome back, my friends! In this chapter, we're going to see the arrival of the Younglings, and I'm throwing in a few extra characters with them! We won't really see much of them, sadly, but I'll be happy to have them along! Anyway, let's get on with it!**_

 _ **The author does not own Star Wars, only the plot and OCs.**_

* * *

Embo stood on the empty landing platform, his brand-new polar bear hide winter clothes and parka keeping him warm, as he looked up into the sky.

The outfit had been made for him by one of the Theelin twins, Crissah Tirrah, as a "Get Well Soon" gift. One of the Lupinions had gone up north to hunt the bears, and had given most of the hides to the more fashion-inclined Hunter, who had used them to personally design and craft the clothes.

Without them, Embo would have spent the whole winter indoors.

"Any sign of them yet?" Cad asked, coming up to his friend. Tanoka, Urii, Leik, Sihmi, Sugi, Obi-Wan, and Suya were with him.

" **Not yet,** " the Kyuzo said hoarsely, turning his gaze back towards the skies.

"They better get here soon," Urii said, turning her amber eyes towards the gray sky as well, "there's a snowstorm coming in; it'll be dangerous to try to land in those conditions."

After a few more minutes, just as the snow started to fall, a Republic ship sank out of the steel-gray clouds, catching everyone's attention immediately. Once it landed, the group approached the ship. The door opened, and five little figure ran out in a blur, five larger figures moving more slowly behind them.

"Mommy!" four of the little children squealed happily, running to their respective mothers, while the littlest of them all just ran, giggling gleefully, to her parents!

"Tanya! Tyson!" Tanoka cried out happily, kneeling on the ground with open arms, hugging her two children when they leaped into her embrace!

"Naya, come here, sweetie!" Urii said, greeting her own daughter in a similar fashion, her daughter more than happy to recieve her mother's affection.

"Kitara! Welcome home, tadpole!" Leik laughed, hugging her grinning little girl when she jumped into her arms.

However, it was the last child-parent reunion that was the most touching.

"Miia!" Cad cried joyfully, going down on one knee, arms wide open, as his little girl ran to him! She jumped into his arms, and he caught her, standing up and spinning in a circle with her, before holding her close to his chest, tears of happiness falling from his solid red eyes. "Welcome home! I missed you, my little _adawehi_!"

"Missed you too, Daddy!" Miia cried happily, hugging her father's neck and planting a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Then, she saw her mother. "Mommy! I home!"

"Yes, Miia," Sihmi laughed, hugging both her daughter and her husband, "You're home. Now, are you going to say 'hi' to Master Embo?"

Instantly, five pairs of eyes, round with wonder, locked onto the tall Kyuzo.

"Master Embo!" the children squealed joyfully, squirming out of their parents' grips to run to their favorite instructor. Embo knelt on one knee, laughing hoarsely, as the five energetic younglings swarmed him. Oh, how he had missed these little troublemakers!

" **Welcome home, younglings,** " he greeted, his voice hoarse, and he hugged all five children at once with his long arms. Miia, ever-observant, looked up at him curiously.

"You sound funny," she stated, "what happen?"

" **Well, Miia,** " Embo said gently, " **for a time, I was very sick, but I'm almost all better now.** "

While the Kyuzo interacted with the children, Obi-Wan and the others went to talk to the other five arrivals.

"Masters Plo, Fisto, and Windu," Tanoka said warmly, bowing, "Welcome to New Earth."

"We're grateful for you allowing our children to return home for the holidays," Leik said, winking at Hit. Then, she looked at the two that she hadn't met yet; a blue Twi-lek boy and a Cerean boy, both looking to be in their mid-teens. "And who are these two?"

"Master Plo and I recently took these two on as Padawans," the Nautolan Jedi said, grinning at the woman he secretly loved. "I am Jinx's Master," he motioned to the Twi-lek, and then to the Cerean, "And master Plo is O-Mer's."

"I remember these two from Wasskah," Sugi said, coming over, "they were the two Jedi Younglings I helped rescue, along with Padawan Tano and that Wookiee."

"Well," Tanoka said, smiling warmly, "they are welcome here at any time." She then turned to speak to the group at large. "Let's return to the warm comfort of the indoors; we all have holiday preparations to make, and a festival to plan!"

* * *

 _ **Yes… I did it… I put in those two Younglings from "Padawan Lost" and "Wookiee Hunt"! I couldn't resist; they're such great kids! Anyway, the Younglngs are home, and even though Miia is now 3 years old, she is still so adorable that I would almost say it should be illegal! And yeah, you've probably guessed by now who the fathers of the other four Younglings are… if not, I won't ruin the surprise! Sorry!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	3. Bending (Or Breaking) Rules

_**We're back, everyone! Now, I think you guys might remember Embo's third-youngest brother from his vision/soul-wandering-experience, Kendo, right? Well, we get to see him again! Now, mind you, Kendo isn't really sure at this point whether or not Embo had been visiting him during his Coming-of-Age celebration as a spirit after death, or if his favorite brother had somehow been alive and found a way to transport an invisible representation of himself to the celebration. The entire village thinks Embo is dead, since he's been on the "Missing Person" list for about three years now. Being missing for longer than a year in uncharted space usually means that the guy or gal died out there. Also, Embo just has a special connection with this particular brother of him, which makes him trust him the most out of all his siblings (at least, those still alive. Remember, he keeps having his five dead older brothers talking to him in his head), so he would go to him for advice first.**_

 _ **Also, with all that's happened to him in the last three years of so, he has a lot of explaining to do.**_

 _ **Anyway, let's get on with it!**_

 _ **The author is now tired of writing the disclaimers. If you don't remember, refer to the previous two chapters.**_

* * *

Embo placed the last ornament on his christmas tree, smiling softly. He loved the holidays on this planey, even though he'd only known about them for barely a year and a half. Christmas was his favorite, followed by Halloween.

He had decided to spend the day decorating the inside of his house, wanting his day to be relatively quiet. Everyone else was busy helping Tanoka prepare for the annual Christmas Festival, so he hadn't seen anyone else all day, other than Marrok, who was curled up in front of the fireplace. Not even the Jedi, who were all going to stay in his house until they returned to the Temple, had come in to put their things in the spare bedrooms yet.

That that was fine with the Kyuzo.

The solitude gave him the quiet he needed, and the time to get his house ready.

It also gave him the time and silence to think.

For what seemed like the hundredth time, he glanced over at the holocom set up in the corner of his living room, feeling a deep longing… one that he finally gave in to.

He went over, and typed in a series of numbers. Seconds later, a blue hologram of his brother, Kendo, popped up.

 _:_ _ **Embo! Brother, it's good to see you!:**_ the younger Kyuzo said in relief, smiling. Embo couldn't help smiling behind his mask.

" **It's good to see you as well, little brother,** " he said, voice still slightly hoarse. Kendo immediately looked concerned.

 _:_ _ **Embo, are you ok?**_ _:_ he asked, and the older Kyuzo smiled fondly.

" **I was sick for a while, but the doctor here took care of me,** " he explained, " **I just have to deal with a sore throat for a few more days.** "

 _:_ _ **I'm glad you're ok, brother,**_ _:_ Kendo said, relieved. Then, Embo hesitantly addressed the reason for the call.

" **Kendo… I…** " he sighed, trying to get himself together, " **I need your help with something…** "

 _:_ _ **Name it.**_ _:_ Embo looked at him in surprise, then continued.

" **You remember how, when I first left home, Father was hoping I would find what I was searching for?** " When Kendo nodded, Embo steeled himself for what he was about to say. " **I… I found it… and so much more.** "

 _:_ _ **Embo…**_ _:_ Kendo whispered, unspeakable happiness showing clearly in his posture.

" **And it's why I need your help,** " Embo continued, now feeling more confident, " **I need the engagement ring that Father promised me for when I…** "

 _:_ _ **How will I get it to you?**_ _:_ Kendo asked, and Embo bit his lower lip in thought. Then, he remembered his little backup plan.

" **I… I left a small shuttle near the village… in case of emergencies. I can talk you through flying it…** " Embo paused, swallowed, then continued, " **I saved the coordinates for this planet in the shuttle's databanks, all the controls are in Kyuzoni and relatively simple…** "

 _:_ _ **I'll do it. Just tell me where to go, and I'll call you back when I get there.**_ _:_

* * *

Just half an hour after he had given his younger brother the directions to get to the shuttle, Embo's house comm. beeped, and he answered immediately.

" **Kendo, good, you found it,** " he said, smiling. Kendo was smiling as well.

 _:_ _ **Yeah. I figured out how to turn the power on,**_ _:_ the younger Kyuzo said, obviously pleased with himself. _:_ _ **How do I start flying?**_ _:_

Embo chuckled in amusement, " **First, check the systems. What colors are the lights on the controls? Is anything red or orange?** "

 _:_ _ **No… all I see is blue and green,**_ _:_ Kendo said, looking around him. Embo nodded in satisfaction.

" **That's good. Now, see the third button on the left in the panel to your right?** " Kendo nodded, and Embo continued, " **Push that, and then flip the black switch above your head…** "

For the next ten minutes, Embo talked his younger brother through flying the shuttle, leaving the atmosphere, and going into hyperspace. Kendo followed Embo's directions, and was soon on his way to New Earth.

* * *

 _ **Kendo's on his way to the Colony! Also, just what is Embo planning here? Also, did anyone else notice that he didn't even consult with Tanoka first on whether or not Kendo would be ALLOWED to come to the Colony? To be sure, Embo's breaking a few rules in doing this…**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	4. My Brother Is In Love

_**We're back, everyone! I'm happy to announce that Chapter 4 is now here, and we will be able to officially find out what Tanoka thinks about Embo going over her head like he did, and if Kendo will be able to put two and two together! A little note here: I've been doing some yard work, and I now have a headache, so if you all see some mistakes in this chapter I may have missed, I apologize.**_

 _ **I blame the weather in the South of the USA. Hot, humid, and where I live there are four different weather fronts that make the weather a little less predictable. Not a good mix unless you LIKE barometric pressure headaches for some odd reason.**_

 _ **Anyway, if you don't know the disclaimers, refer to the first two chapters.**_

* * *

Embo stood on the edge of one of the smaller landing platforms, wearing his parka outfit, and holding another fur coat for his brother.

Tanoka stood next to the Kyuzo. She had not been pleased when Embo admitted to her that he had told Kendo, without her permission, how to get to the Colony. However, as she finally told him, 'what's done is done; let's only hope we don't regret it.'

Now, Tanoka was patiently waiting to meet Embo's younger brother, and, after Embo explained that Kendo didn't know how to land, she had Urii up in the Control Tower with the E.L.A.F (Emergency Landing Assistance Field), in case they couldn't talk him through the landing procedure.

Soon, a small, dark green shuttle came into view, and Embo smiled.

" **There he is,** " the Bounty Hunter said, pointing. Then, he got on the comm, " **Kendo, can you hear me?** "

 _:_ _ **Loud and clear, brother.**_ _:_

" **Good. Lower altitude as you go towards the smallest platform…** " Embo continued to talk his younger brother through the landing, until the shuttle had safely landed (though not without a few new dents). Then, the hatch opened, and Kendo came out, immediately starting to shiver and breathe heavily!

" **Embo, why is it so cold and hard to breathe?** " The younger Kyuzo asked, arms wrapped around himself. Embo went over to his brother, pulling one of his spare masks out of the bag he had at his hip, the strap slung over his shoulder.

" **Because it's winter and farther from the tropical zone,** " he said, giving Kendo the mask. " **Put that on, then put this coat on. We'll get you some warmer clothes once we get to the main building.** "

" **Thanks, brother,** " the younger Kyuzo said, putting the mask on and slipping into the coat. Then, he noticed the Togruta standing a few feet away. " **Who's That?** "

" **Sorry, I forgot to introduce you two,** " Embo said, bringing his brother over to her. " **Kendo, this is Tanoka Anko, the Colony Leader, and my Boss.** "

" **It's an honor to meet you, Great Warrior Tanoka,** " Kendo said, folding his hands together and bowing deeply to the woman. Tanoka smiled, a mischievous twinkle in her crystal blue eyes.

" **And it is an honor to meet** _ **you**_ **, Young Warrior Kendo, Brother to the Brave and Honorable Warrior Embo,** " she replied, copying his bow as she spoke in his language. Kendo's eyes widened, as Embo chuckled heartily.

" **Tanoka had me teach her Kyuzoni when I first came here,** " the older Kyuzo laughed, and Kendo stared at him in disbelief, eyes widening further.

" **Embo… I've never heard you laugh before…** " the younger Kyuzo said softly, listening to his brother's mirth. " **I like it…** "

" **I have more to laugh about, brother,** " Embo chuckled, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. " **Now come, let's get to the main building.** "

* * *

When the trio arrived at the fifteen-story building in the center of the large town, Kendo was looking around in awe at the buildings and people around him, eyes wide with wonder, seeing things he'd only ever seen in the holophotos and read about in the written messages that Embo had sent and brought home. Then, he looked at the main building, and the small crowd in front.

" **Embo…** " the younger Kyuzo said nervously, seeing all of the strange-looking species waiting for them. Embo, however, put a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder.

" **Don't worry; they're my friends,** " he said, then got out of the speeder. While Kendo watched, Embo went over to the small crowd, and started greeting them in ways Kendo had never seen him do outside of family.

The older Kyuzo first went to his Duros friend, Cad, and they shared a forearm handshake and a one-armed brotherly hug. Then, he hugged an orange-haired Theelin like he would one of his sisters. He fist-bumped a few others, hugged a few more… and then he came to a purple-haired Zabrak woman.

Kendo watched, intrigued, as his older brother pulled the woman into a hug that seemed somewhat more familiar than the others, and realized that _this_ was why he wanted the ring.

His brother was deeply in love.

* * *

 _ **Who saw THAT coming, huh?! Probably most of you, if you've read my other SWCW fics. Anyway, Kendo is here, and feeling a little out of his element, and probably feeling like he doesn't know his brother as well as he thought he did, but can you blame him? He's only interacted with Embo BEFORE he went missing, and this is his first time seeing him off of Phatrong.**_

 _ **Anyway, that's Chapter 4! I hope to have Chapter 5 out soon!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	5. The Lengths He Goes To

_**Ok, everyone, I'm back! This chapter picks up directly after last chapter, so there's pretty much no time skip this time! Kendo pretty much figured out what was going on almost immediately, and Embo is not in too much trouble for breaking the rules!**_

 _ **If you don't know the disclaimers, refer to the first two chapters.**_

* * *

When Embo finished greeting his friends, he motioned for his younger brother to come over. When Kendo was at his side, the older Kyuzo put a hand on his shoulder, and looked to the others.

" **Everyone, this is Kendo, my third-youngest brother!** " he introduced, and they all smiled in welcome. " **He'll be staying here for at least the next few days, so I'd appreciate if you all would help me in showing him around.** "

"He's not going _anywhere_ right now; not in _those_ clothes!" a voice called out, and Kendo turned to see a Theelin woman with electric blue eyes and hair pushing her way towards them.

"Indeed he won't, Crissah," Tanoka said, as the Theelin came up in front of the younger Kyuzo. Then, Tanoka explained to Kendo, "Crissah Tirrah is one of the Theelin twins, who live here nearly full-time, and she is a talented seamstress and designer."

"I made Embo's current outfit," the Theelin said, looking Kendo over, "I can make a similar one for you, but I need you to come inside so I can get your measurements."

" **Okay…** " the younger Kyuzo said uncertainly, secretly passing his brother a small, wine red, wooden box, with gold vine inlaid designs forming a heart on the lid. Embo slipped the box into a pocket of his parka, knowing exactly what was inside. Then, Crissah pulled Kendo into the building, talking about different winter styles, and Embo left for his house...

* * *

When morning came, Embo got up early, unable to sleep because he was so nervous.

When he got down to the living room, the Kyuzo saw that there were a lot more gifts under the tree. ' _Looks like someone explained Christmas to the Jedi…_ '

There was no time to dwell on it; he had preparations to make.

Hurrying outside to his backyard, Embo went to his small greenhouse, picking up a few strings of Christmas lights on his way out, and got to work...

* * *

 _ **Poor Kendo, being subjected to the world of fashion! And what is Embo planning? You'll find out in the next chapter!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	6. Starry Flowers, Joining Hearts

_**Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Calling of Hearts! I recently got a review from an anonymous person (As in, a Guest whom I cannot reply to in a PM), but I would like to do a shout-out to them!**_

 _ **Guest, I'm a little sad that I can't message you, but I am so very glad that you enjoyed the first chapter, and I hope that you enjoyed the four after that, and this one as well! I hope that the rest of this story is enjoyable for you as well, and I look forward to reading more reviews from you in the future!**_

 _ **Anyway, in this chapter, the little plan that Embo was preparing in the last chapter will now unfold, and I hope that I'm not the only one who thinks it's a moving scene!**_

 _ **If you don't recall the disclaimers, please refer to chapters 1 and 2.**_

* * *

When night fell, Embo's house was filled with a comforting warmth, and smiling friends. Many of the others had come for dinner, and Embo was getting more nervous by the minute.

Finally, he managed to get Sugi alone. She looked particularly lovely that evening; her long purple hair held in a high ponytail, and wearing a form-fitting pink sweater and gray velvet leggings.

" **Sugi,** " he said, getting her attention, " **could you come outside with me for a little bit? I want to show you something.** "

"Sure, Embo," the Zabrak said, following him out the door. The sk was clear, the stars twinkling brightly above them. When they reached the greenhouse, Embo opened the door, and they went inside.

" **One second,** " the Kyuzo said, going for a switch on the wall, and rehearsing what he wanted to say in his head. When he flicked the switch, he heard Sugi gasp in amazement.

Twinkling white-blue fairy lights lit up all around the greenhouse; hanging from the ceiling, twined around the supports, and woven into the plants. A pair of large rose bushes bent towards each other, forming an arch, the red petals of the flowers looking nearly purple n the light.

"Embo… this is _beautiful_ …" Sugi said softly, walking towards the arch. Behind her, Embo followed, pulling a small wooden box out of his pocket. When Sugi was under the arch, she turned to look at him, and saw the box. "Embo?"

Taking a deep breath, the Kyuzo went closer to the woman he loved… and knelt on one knee before her, causing her eyes to widen and her breath to catch, before opening the box. Nestled inside was a ring. The ring was made of gold, the metal forming twisting vines that wrapped around a large, crimson, heart-shaped gem and two shamrock green, leaf-shaped gems.

" **Sugi, when I first saw you, all those years ago, I knew I would never leave you without hurting myself,** " Embo said, trying to not sound as nervous as he felt. " **Since then, you stayed with me, when anyone else would have given me up as a lost cause. When I was hurt, you took care of me. When I was lost, you never stopped looking for me. At times when I was overwhelmed by grief, or fear, you comforted me. You picked up my broken pieces and made me whole. I love you, Sugi; I love you with all my heart and soul.** "

He took a deep breath, bracing himself for what he would say next. Then, he looked into Sugi's beautiful eyes.

" **I want to live the rest of my life with you… Sugi… will you marry me?** "

A few seconds passed, in which Embo was scared Sugi would refuse… but then she smiled, tears of joy forming in her eyes, as she flung her arms around him!

"Oh, Embo! Yes; yes, I'll marry you; I love you, too!" Embo's heart soared, his anxiety fading, as he hugged Sugi back, removing his mask at the same time. When Sugi let go of him, he slid the ring onto her left ring finger, and kissed the heart-shaped gem, before standing and tenderly kissing Sugi on the lips.

He slid one hand under her hair, cupping it to the back of her head, while the other rested on the center of her back. Sugi's arms wrapped around Embo's waist, her hands resting on his shoulder blades, as the two of them kissed under the twinkling rose arch...

* * *

 _ **How romantic was that? I nearly cried while copying this onto the computer, I was so moved! I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll post the next chapter soon!**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	7. Christmas!

_**Hi, everyone! I'm back with chapter 7 of Calling of Hearts! Sorry I've been away from this story for a while, but I've been trying to get ready for college, and I've been working on other stories… and, I admit, I've been distracted by this game that I've been playing for a few months now! It's called Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes, and they've added Embo in as a character!**_

 _ **And I bet you all realize just how much I like Embo. He's my fav!**_

 _ **Anyway, yeah, sorry for being so distracted, but I'm back now, and I'm getting to work!**_

 _ **If you don't know the disclaimers, please refer to the first two chapters.**_

* * *

When Embo and Sugi returned to the former's house, they were holding hands, hearts light, and looking at each other with pure love in their eyes.

Almost everyone had either left or gone to bed, the only other person still up being Ahsoka, who immediately noticed their changed behavior.

"Where were you two? What happened?" she asked, but the two of them just smiled at her.

"You'll find out in the morning," Sugi said, going with Embo to the stairs.

When the newly-engaged couple reached Embo's bedroom, Sugi quickly went into the next room, and came back out wearing her nightclothes. Embo was already wearing a flannel nightshirt and matching pants when Sugi came into his room, and was fluffing the pillows on his bed.

"I love you," the Zabrak said softly, kissing her fiancé's cheek. Embo hummed softly, pulling her close, and carefully resting his forehead on hers.

" **I love you too,** " he murmured, silently cursing the fact that he had to wear his mask. Then, the two of them got into bed together, and they quickly fell asleep, Sugi's head on Embo's chest, and Embo's left arm around Sugi's shoulders.

* * *

Morning came, and with it, the excitement of Christmas! Embo and Sugi were the first ones downstairs, the former going to make coffee for the latter, and the others soon followed.

" **Good morning, brother,** " Kendo yawned, stretching his arms as he came into the kitchen.

" **Merry Christmas,** " Embo replied, looking up from the bacon he was frying. Sugi sat at the table nearby, drinking her coffee. Kendo noticed the familiar ring on her finger instantly. He smiled behind his mask; he knew that his brother loved the woman deeply, and that Embo must be ecstatic that she accepted his proposal.

No matter what anyone else might say, Kendo felt honored that he would soon be able to call her 'sister.'

* * *

Once everyone had arrived and eaten breakfast, they gathered in Embo's living room, seating themselves on various couches, armchairs, and cushions; their spots being where their now-filled stockings had been moved to. Then, seated beside Sugi on a forest green loveseat, Embo spoke up.

" **Everyone, before we all begin opening gifts, Sugi and I have an announcement to make.** " Everyone looked at the two of them curiously, and Sugi finished for her fiancé.

"You see… as of last night… Embo and I are engaged!" She took Embo's hand, eyes sparkling," We're getting married!"

Everyone (except Kendo) stared at the couple, eyes wide and their mouths open in shock. Then, there was a gleeful squeal, and Latts ran over to hug them both!

"Congratulations, guys!" she gushed, "I always thought you two were meant for each other!"

"Well, it's about time you popped the big question, pal," Cad chuckled, "You two… I could see from the very start that you two were in love. Took all I had sometimes to keep myself from locking you two in a closet together…"

After a barrage of questions and congratulations, the all started focusing on the presents. As the youngest, little Miia picked the first gift. She toddled over to the tree, and picked up a small, rectangular box with silver wrapping paper.

"It fo' you, Mastew Windu!" she said cheerfully, carrying the present over to him. He smiled a little, accepting the gift, and soon had it open. His amber eyes widened.

It was a perfect replica of an AT-RT walker; each delicate piece skillfully crafted. Its legs were in a standing position, but moved smoothly when Mace tried it. Then, when he looked around for an explanation, Embo spoke up.

" **Naya asked me to build that for you. After Tanoka gave me the schematics, I stayed up for a whole twelve hours building it.** " Mace then looked at the little Korun girl, who giggled happily.

"Merry Christmas!" she chirped, then said, "now pick a present!"

The Korun man studied the gifts piled under and around the tree, then selected a gold-wrapped gift with a red bow, summoning it to him with the Force. Looking at the tag, he said, "This is for Obi-Wan, from Tanoka."

"Oh?" Kenobi queried, summoning the gift to him. The box was abou a foot in length, eight inches tall, five inches wide, and surprisingly heavy. When he ripped off the wrapping paper and opened the box, however, he looked a little confused, as he pulled out the item contained within. "What is it?"

The object was made entirely of metal, and shaped like a kind of cat. Long, jointed legs moved easily, the metal paws tipped with razor-sharp claws, and blasters mounted on the shoulders. Just behind the shoulders, a riding seat rested on the flexible spine, which extended past the back legs to form a tail that was half as long as the rest of it. A set of handlebar controls, similar to those of a speederbike or an AT-RT, rested just at the base of the neck of the model machine, the neck connecting to a catlike head with sharply-angled optics and jaws holding deadly-ooking fangs.

"It's a model of my newest invention," Tanoka said proudly, smiling confidently. "I call it the Cheetah All-Terrain Attack Transport, or CAT-AT. It's a military vehicle I based off of an Earth predator called a cheetah. Equipped with high-powered blasters above the shoulders, long-range targeting optical sensors, and a small cannon contained within the jaws, this vehicle can also double as an attack droid if needed. I programmed an A.I. into the full-sized version, which has the main directives of both obeying its assigned rider, and keeping him or her alive. If the rider is killed, it will act on its own, following commands for support when they are given, and may even choose its new rider during the battle."

"What is it made of?" Obi-Wan asked, impressed, and Tanoka grinned.

"Took me a little while to find a light enough metal that could withstand anything the Separatists could throw at it.." she admitted with a shrug, "but then, Embo allowed me to study his hat. Those scorch marks? Burned paint. The metal itself is completely undamaged, and it's been taking hits for… how many years now?" She glanced at Embo, who leaned back, looking up in thought.

" **Let's see… I got it from Cudar when I was selebrating my coming-of-age on my eighteenth birthday… I'm almost 28 now…** " He looked to Tanoka. " **Nearly a decade.** "

"Right. Nearly a decade of abuse, and the metal isn't even scratched. Plus, it's light. So, with Embo's permission, I sent his helmet through a scanner, analyzed the molecular composition of the metal, and saved it in the databanks of my replicator," the Togruta explained, still smiling. "I used my replicator to construct the pieces, and I put it all together."

They all went on to opening all they presents (Sugi nearly made Embo pass out by hugging him so tight he couldn't breathe when she opened the gift he made for her. It was a pair of Kyuzan knives with sheaths made from the dark green, scaly hide of a dragonlike creature called a Kirado), sharing laughter and having a good time.

* * *

 _ **And that's chapter 7! I'm going to try to type up the epilogue, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to post it, because aside from all the videogame distractions, I'm also now in college, trying to get an agriculture degree so I can go on to breed animals!**_

 _ **Ever since watching some snake breeding videos, I've started imagining Embo living in a home where he breeds gorgeous and adorable snakes as a hobby XD. I can only imagine the expressions on his parents' faces if/when they come to visit and just see snakes EVERYWHERE! XD**_

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED...**_


	8. Epilogue

_**Hello, everyone! I am SO SORRY about the long hiatus, but I've been dealing with college, new ideas, and basically trying to get my life together! However, I am on break, so now I can try to get more chapters out here! This is the epilogue of Calling of Hearts, and soon I am going to try to type up the chapters of the next part of this series… once I find the notebook that contains them…**_

 _ **Anyway, you all know the drill, and it's time to get on with this last chapter!**_

* * *

" **I'm going to miss you, little brother,** " Embo said, holding hands with Sugi as they stood on the landing platform with Kendo. Embo's little shuttle was prepared for the younger Kyuzo's trip back to Phatrong, and Kendo was about to leave.

" **I'll miss you too, Embo,** " Kendo said sadly. He had enjoyed his time on New Earth with his older brother and his friends, but he knew that the village was probably worried. After all, he had forgotten to tell anyone he was leaving.

" **Kendo, could you tell Mother and Father that I'll be coming home in a few months?** " Embo asked, gold eyes shining with unshed tears. He was really going to miss his younger brother. " **Sugi and I want to be married on Phatrong, so we're going to be headed there after things have been prepared.** "

" **Of course; it'll be good to have you home again,** " the younger Kyuzo said, smiling behind his mask. Then, he looked at Sugi. " **Take care of my brother, Sugi. I look forward to the day I can call you 'sister.'** "

"And I look forward to calling you 'brother,' Kendo," the Zabrak replied, smiling. "And don't worry; I'll take good care of Embo. He's actually become a bit of a symbol for the Republic; your parents should be proud to hear that."

" **Yes, they will,** " Kendo replied, then sighed, " **I guess… this is goodbye…** "

" **Be safe, brother,** " Embo said, as the younger Kyuzo walked into the shuttle. Soon, the small ship vanished into the clouds, and Embo and Sugi left to go back to Embo's house...

* * *

 _ **And that's the end of Calling of Hearts!**_


End file.
